Process for filling containers simultaneously with their sterilization

ABSTRACT

A process for filling containers simultaneously with their sterilization, including also the evacuation of the aeriform content of the containers that is exhausted directly to the outside without flowing back in the general tank containing the filling process fluids.

FIELD OF THE ART

The present invention refers to plants for bottling liquids,particularly to the aseptic filling of sterilised liquids.

STATE OF THE ART

The bottling processes currently known entail the employment ofsterilised and completely insulated environments, inside which everymachinery that perform the filling process is installed.

To manage these plants is though necessary that the control andsupervision technicians are able to enter these sterilised environments,and this entails the risk of contamination.

The problem to be solved is to sterilise the containers and the keepthem sterilised, especially during the filling phase.

The solution presented in this invention allows to obtain an inexpensiveand safe sterilisation of the containers, simultaneously with theirfilling process.

DESCRIPTION

The invention is now disclosed in the following detailed description,with reference to the figures of the attached drawings, as not limitingexample.

FIG. 1 is a scheme of the starting phase of the filling process duringwhich the container is placed under the filling faucet.

FIG. 2 is a scheme of the sterilisation phase that occurs before thebeginning of the filling. During this phase the water steam spray thatis injected in the container produces the evacuation of the aeriformcontent inside the container.

FIG. 3 shows the phase during which the steam pressure inside thecontainer is reaching the pressure of the filling liquid; once saidpressure is reached, the faucet will open automatically.

FIG. 4 shows the filling phase. It can be observed the absence of thetraditional venting tube, that is indeed not necessary because thesteam, on contact with the liquid, condenses and frees the volume of thecontainers that will then be filled.

FIG. 5 shows the final phase of the process during which the alreadyopened container is brought back to the atmospheric pressure level.

FIG. 6 shows the beginning of a new process.

In the figures of the schematic drawings every single detail is markedas follows:

1 is the entry conduit of the filling liquid.

2 is the closed faucet.

2′ is the open faucet.

3 is the entry conduit of the sterilised steam.

4 is the steam valve open.

4′ is the steam valve closed.

5 is the sealing gasket on the container's mouth.

6 is a coming empty container.

7 is a container during the process of sterilisation and filling.

8 is a container sterilised, filled and sealed.

9 is the support for the running containers.

10 is the operation of tapping the containers.

11 is the exhaust conduit of the atmospheric content of the container.

12 is the exhaust valve closed.

12′ is the exhaust valve open.

13 is the body of the filling faucet.

The clearness of the figures points out the performance of the processduring the different operational phases. The invention could obviouslybe changed in several manners as far as the structural proportions ofthe devices and the technological choices of the construction materialsare concerned.

It is clear that the process can be realised on every kind of fillingmachine, for any fluid, also carbonated. The filling grade of thecontainers can be controlled using volumetric or electronic fillingvalves.

The technical realisations of the process could be different, holdingthe basic principle to sterilise the containers, with a overheatedsterilising steam flow, simultaneously with the filling operations, asschematically shown as a not limiting example.

The manipulation of the containers and their position under the fillingfaucet can obviously be performed by different actuation devices.

It is thus evident that all those bottling processes that perform thepreliminary sterilisation of the container and its pre-evacuationsimultaneously with the filling operations, according to the schemesdescribed, shown and hereinafter claimed, will be included in theprotection field of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for sterilizing and fillingcontainers, comprising: a sterilizing and filling station having a firstconduit for supplying filling liquid to a container, a second conduitfor supplying steam to the container, and an exhaust conduit forexhausting the container to the surrounding atmosphere; a conveyor formoving a series of containers into position beneath the sterilizing andfilling station; a first valve in the first conduit for controllingsupply of filling liquid to a container; a second valve in the secondconduit for controlling supply of steam to the container; an exhaustvalve in the exhaust conduit for controlling exhaust of the container;and the first conduit is substantially vertical and has a downwardlydirected outlet with a central vertical axis, and the second conduitdownstream of said first valve projects transversely into said firstconduit and has a downwardly directed outlet coaxial with said centralaxis, the second conduit outlet being of smaller diameter than saidfirst conduit; whereby the second valve and exhaust valve are opened tosupply steam to the empty container and exhaust aeriform content fromthe container, and the second valve is subsequently closed and the firstvalve is opened to supply filling liquid to the container, wherebysterilization and filling is carried out at a single station.
 2. Anapparatus for sterilizing and filling containers, comprising: asterilizing and filling station having a first conduit for supplyingfilling liquid to a container, a second conduit for supplying steam tothe container, and an exhaust conduit for exhausting the container tothe surrounding atmosphere; a conveyor for moving a series of containersinto position beneath the sterilizing and filling station; a first valvein the first conduit for controlling supply of filling liquid to acontainer; a second valve in the second conduit for controlling supplyof steam to the container; an exhaust valve in the exhaust conduit forcontrolling exhaust of the container; and the exhaust conduit projectingtransversely out of said first conduit; whereby the second valve andexhaust valve are opened to supply steam to the empty container andexhaust aeriform content from the container, and the second valve issubsequently closed and the first valve is opened to supply fillingliquid to the container, whereby sterilization and filling is carriedout at a single station.